Man of the World
by rexymandias
Summary: What is the world without Uzumaki Naruto...? After defeating Pain, Naruto takes the decision of quitting his life as a Ninja. Ten years later...the world is in mortal peril. Danzo's root operation has overrun the village and the shinobi world is on the brink of an all-out war; and Naruto is pulled right back into a world that he thought he escaped...
1. Prologue

man of the world.

MAN OF THE WORLD

* * *

PROLOGUE:

* * *

"_Ayame-chan…_"

* * *

"_Naruto-kun…I love you…_"

…

_A beat…_

_…__a few more…_

_…_

_…_

_…_

"_HINATAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!_"

* * *

_Blink_—

Naruto snapped to. He sat solemnly in the Hokage Tower. He daydreamed. He brooded. He pondered _shit_. Hokage Tower was blown to pieces. The sun scathed his skin. He didn't care. The open skies screamed at him. He didn't care. He sat in the lone chair that stood unbroken. He sat in the Hokage's blown-to-bits office, in the Hokage's _un_broken chair.

He. Didn't. Care.

Hinata's dead. Nothing. Else. Fucking. Matters.

Naruto buried his face in his hands. He examined the cuts in his palms. They ran deeper than his lifeline. He was caked in dirt head-to-toe. His cloak was in tatters. _He _was in tatters. His hands felt wet. He was crying. He acknowledged his right to. He cried _that _much harder.

He stared at his home—_Konohagakure_. It was in bad shape. Everything was blown to bits. Every_one_ was scattered. Lost loved-ones. Lost hated-ones. It didn't matter. She told him she loved him…and then she _died_.

Naruto slapped his own face. He slapped it twice. Thrice. He slapped himself a hundred times. He couldn't feel _shit_, and the memory of her confession still remained. He cried. It sounded like a fox-howl. He clenched his stomach _tight_. He cursed the beast in his belly. He cursed his fate and his father. He cursed the mother he knew not. He cursed everything to bits—like his blown-to-bits home.

"Naruto."

He didn't react. He vaguely remembered the owner of the voice.

"_Naruto?_"

He. Didn't. React. _This_ voice was not the one he expected to come searching for him. He sad-chuckled. _Why?_ 'Cause nothing ever turned out the way he expected it to—_Some fuckin' saviour I turned out to be. _The one who should be here's a no-show. The last person on the list showed up. He was out-of-his-mind, post-battle-royale _CONFUSED!_

"Naruto-kun…"

She held his cheeks. She felt tears. She wiped his eyes. She went down on her knees. She prayed for him. She ran fingertips through his dirt-and-blood-caked hair.

"_Naruto-kun_…I _know…_they all told me. I'm so sorry."

Naruto cried even _harder_.

He hugged her tightly. He whispered _never-let-me-go's_ in her ear. He thought he was saying it in his head. He was scared. _He _was sorry. He was lost. He was hurt. He was heart-cut-in-half-with-a-pair-of-scissors-_broken_.

She felt tear-fall. She couldn't hold them back. His sadness was just as contagious as his laughter. She cried just as hard as he did. She hugged him back just as tight.

Naruto pulled away and wiped his tears. He sad-smiled. He melancholy-smiled. He _idk_-how-to-smile-anymore-smiled.

He said, "Thank you for showing up…_Ayame-chan_."

Ayame attempted to hold back her tears. It came out a pout and a whimper. He caressed her chin. She hand-on-shoulder-comforted him. He wiped her tears and stood up. He looked different. That look on his face. That's—_RESOLVE_.

He said, "I know what I need to do, Ayame-chan. Forgive me, I'll see you around. Right now, there's something I need to do."

And he leapt away.

And Ayame cried _that _much harder.

* * *

_Konoha 11 top-secret meeting. It's post-Pain. As in, it's post-village-decimation…_

* * *

Shika said, "There's gonna be a new Hokage."

Sakura went bug-eyed. "_WHAT?!_ B-but Tsunade-sama will be back in shape-shape…_soon!_"

Shika hand-on-shoulder-comforted Sakura. "I'm sorry, Sakura. I know she's your sensei and we all loved her as a leader…but I heard my pops talking with the higher-ups of the village."

Neji scoffed. "The Konoha Council. My _ass_. They're just a bunch of glorified civvies. Failed shinobi. _The Ones Who Couldn't Cut It_."

Shika arms-crossed said, "Be that as it may, Neji-san, they have status—and more importantly: _power_."

Sakura held back tears. Rock Lee zoned out. Akamaru went, _WOOF!_ Kiba went, _Down, boy!_ Shino was Shino-quiet. Choji wasn't eating. Ino chewed her fingernails. TenTen pondered this _shit_.

She said, "Who's the likely candidate?"

Shika stuck an unlit cig in his mouth. "Shimura, Danzo. One of the three members of the High-Council."

TenTen went, _Never heard of him._

Shika rolled his eyes. "He began the Root Ops."

Sakura went wide-eyed. "_Anbu?_"

Shika nodded. "He has the other two's support. They have sway over the entire village. Even the _Daimyo_."

"They're Untouchables."

All-eyes-snapped-to.

Naruto. He's bruised, blued, and dirt-cake-bruised; cut, brut, and sliced-up-rough. He had leftover dried-up tears streaked across his cheeks. That indicated enough.

They all collectively said, "_Naruto_."

Naruto didn't hear them. He forced their voices away. He ignored them all. He walked up to Shikamaru. He said, "When?"

Shika chewed on his unlit cig. "_Now_."

Naruto said, "_Where?_"

Shika sighed.

Naruto pressed. "_Where, _Shika?"

Shika said, "What do you intend?"

Naruto said, "I have to speak to someone in charge."

Shika q-eyed him. He gave him a look that said, _Why?_

Naruto said, "You'll find out soon enough…"

Shika saw something in Naruto's eyes. He couldn't place the feeling.

Ino felt it. She knew instantly. Maybe it was her clan-ability. Maybe it was just human-science. She went numb all over. She never remembered why she never said anything. She just waited for the world to end.

Shika said, "They're all convening by the west border. There's a campsite—"

Naruto put a hand on Shika's shoulder. He eyes-closed smiled. "Thank you, Shika. You've always been a good friend to me."

Shika felt weird about this.

Naruto hands-in-pocket, swerved, and promptly left towards his destination.

Sakura clenched her waist-skirt. Ino felt Naruto's intentions. Sakura knew them by proxy of, _this-goof-is-my-best-friend_.

_We're still trying to mourn the loss of one friend…please Naruto…don't go and do something stup—_

* * *

_Uzumaki Naruto's Resignation!_

* * *

The Daimyo was old-_af_. Kakashi wondered how he was still alive. He watched the High-Council murmur in his ear. He saw Danzo's confident smile. He knew what was happening right then. _This is a takeover_.

The Daimyo said, "So sad to hear about what happened. Even worse, when I heard about poor Tsunade-hime. And as sad as it may be, we must act quick. Your leader is on her deathbed. The time for an election is nigh, I say."

Kakashi one-eye-rolled. "The facts have been exaggerated, my Lord. Tsunade-sama will be back to good health in a few weeks, tops."

The Daimyo swallowed those facts. He chewed on nothing. He dead-eye stared Kakashi down. Kakashi didn't blink. Danzo's smile never left his face.

The Daimyo said, "I say, Kakashi-san, you're quite the formidable shinobi. Son of the White Fang. Trained by The Fourth himself. You're quite the fit for Hokage—"

"With all due respect, my Lord, I've no interest in politics or the required leadership the title of Hokage demands."

The Daimyo chewed on nothing. "_Hmm_…I can see that. Yes. Then, has anyone any suggestions? Any candidates?"

Shikaku said, "Uzumaki Naruto."

The Daimyo went wide-eyed. "_Oh?_ He is a tad young, no?"

Kakashi one-eye-closed-smiled. "The Fourth was about as young."

Danzo's smile broke. "No he wasn't."

Shikaku joined in. "Yes, if I recall correctly, he was only a few years older."

Kakashi nodded. "Yes. You're correct, Shikaku-san."

The Daimyo deliberated.

Danzo shot eye-daggers from _there_. He said, "Obviously, I would like to nominate myself. I unbiasedly believe I am the perfect candidate. I've studied under Lord Second, same as Hiruzen. I was Hiruzen's comrade, and he was the Third. I've run operations out of this village that have bolstered our defences and sky-rocketed our growth in terms of market and village/country-relations. I have all the necessary attributes. And I'm more than interested in the so-called requirements the title of Hokage _demands _from me."

The Daimyo deliberated.

Shikaku said, "_Bolstered our defences?_ Are you shitting me Danzo? We just got infiltrated like it was taking candy from a baby. Great job you did there, buddy."

Danzo shot eye-daggers.

The Daimyo said, "Settle down, young lads. It's alright. I believe I've come to the right conclusion. I elect Uzumaki Naru—"

Naruto burst into the room and said, "木の葉の忍としての職務を辞任する."

_As in…_

"I _quit!_"

* * *

_Konoha 11 get wind of the news…the plot thickens!_

* * *

Sakura was _cheezed._

Shika dropped his cig.

Choji stopped eating.

Kiba barked louder than Akamaru.

Ino fucking _knew_ it!

TenTen facepalmed.

Rock Lee punched empty-air.

Neji stayed q.t.-quiet.

Shino didn't seem bothered. He _was_.

They collectively thought it. They collectively said it. The words were…

"_Dumbass_."

They were collectively _cheeeeeezzzzzed_. They collectively departed towards the Daimyo-High-Council conference. Shika chain-smoked all the way there. He was _stressed_.

They didn't find Naruto at the conference. Kakashi-sensei and Shikaku pointed _that_-a-way. They traipsed.

They found Naruto—hands-stuffed-in-his-pockets—traipsing through a dark alleyway, all nonchalant, like.

They collectively pummelled him _doooown_.

From-the-top. Naruto's flat on the ground. Konoha 11 towered over him. They arms-crossed shot him dirty-looks. TenTen stank-eyed him. Kiba flared his fangs. Shino took his sunglasses off. Shika flicked his cig.

Sakura said, "_Wtf _were you thinking?"

Naruto wasn't looking at them.

Sakura slapped him.

Naruto wasn't fazed. He still wasn't looking at them.

Sakura chewed her lip dry. She held his cheeks. She forced his eyes to look into hers. She stumbled back. They were _that _empty.

Naruto's eyelids shadowed blood-red. He easily got up, moved Konoha 11 aside, and promptly walked-_tf-_off. They bug-eye stared at his back.

Shika went, _WAIT! NARUTO!_

Sakura chased after him.

TenTen held Neji back from going too.

Rock Lee went. Nobody stopped him. He was much too _youthful_.

Choji chucked his chip-bag and _got_.

Kiba mounted Akamaru and they zoomed.

Shino sent hordes.

Ino already _knew_.

She said, "_Hinata…_"

* * *

_What about your Nindo, Naruto…?_

* * *

Naruto walked the whole way. He didn't look back. She kept chasing him. She chased him all the way to Training Ground 8. He stopped. He stood still. He evinced _nature_. She bumped into him. They fell. She grabbed his wrist. He gave her a look. She caught it. It said, _You can't hold me_.

She truly thought she could.

Sakura said, "Why?"

Naruto stayed _mum_.

Sakura saw _red!_ She pummelled the ground with her fists and yelled, _Why! Why! WHY! WHY! WHY! WHHHYYYYYY!_

Naruto stayed _mum_.

Sakura stared into his eyes. They were so cold and empty. He got up. He walked away.

She said, "What about your Nindo, Naruto…?"

He stayed _mum_.

She said, "What about your goal? What about becoming Hokage?!"

He stayed _mum_.

She said, "_NARUTO!_ Tell me!"

He stayed _mum!_

Sakura punched the ground. The grounds split in half. Naruto leapt to one side. He stared at Sakura.

She walked up to him and said, "Tell me…"

Naruto said, "I don't want it anymore. I don't want any of this anymore. I don't want anything."

Sakura saw tears in his eyes. She held his cheeks. They were _this _close.

She said, "Because _she_ died?"

Naruto narrow-eyed her.

She nudged his forehead like, _What?_

She said, "She wouldn't want this. She loved you. She would want you to keep going. She would want to see you achieve your goals. So take it back. Take back what you told the Daimyo. Do _that _for Hinata…"

Naruto narrow-eyed her. He shut them tightly. He cinched his eyelids and held back tears.

Sakura held his chin. She weak-smiled at him.

Naruto whispered it. "It's not because of her."

Sakura barely heard him. "_Hmm?_ All because of Hinata?"

Naruto said, "No."

Sakura said, "Then what?"

Naruto said, "_Pain_."

He took her hands off him. He turned his back and walked away. She didn't chase him. She stood still as nature and pondered _this:_

_Pain is dead…but I don't think that's what you meant, is it, Naruto-kun? _

* * *

_Ichiraku's Famous Ramen!_

* * *

"One large bowl. Miso. _Xtra_ fishcake."

Old man Ichiraku went, _Comin' right up_.

Ichiraku Ramen Shop was destroyed in the battle. The old man had grouped together a pair of benches and prepared meals for the ravaged. He used rock-pots and portable burners.

He set the bowl in front of him and said, "This one's on the house. It's a new menu-item. I call it, The Naruto Special!"

Naruto stared at the bowl. Steam rolled off like his smoke-bombs. He never ate it. He just stared at it.

Someone sat beside him. He didn't notice who. A pair of hands entered his field-of-view. They were tiny. They were fragile. They were beautifully fair. They held chopsticks. They dipped into his bowl and chop-stuck a bundle of noodles. He heard air-blowing and saw the bundle of noodles blow here-and-there. The hand brought the noodles to his mouth. He turned.

Ayame smiled warmly at him.

Tears slipped through. They trailed down his cheeks. She set the noodles down and wiped his tears.

He said, "I quit. I resigned from all of _this_. I feel ashamed of myself."

She said, "What's done is done, Naruto-kun. You gave them everything. Now, no regrets. I'm right by your side. I always will be. I always have been. Every time you came home from a long mission. Every post-training-session-meal. I've watched you every step of the way. You. Gave. Everything. Now…you _rest_."

Naruto nodded. He opened his mouth and went, _Aaah_.

Ayame smiled. She chop-stuck a bundle of noodles in his mouth. He slurped it right up.

He true-smiled at her. She smiled back.

It happened fast.

Naruto slid the bowl away. _He _slid closer to her. He pulled _her_ closer. He leaned in. She closed her eyes. He kissed her. She kissed back. Sparks didn't fly. But for the first time in his entire life…he felt _okay, _like the world wouldn't end if he rested.

But in the back of his mind, a thought lingered. It pinpricked through his skull. It permeated at the back of his head. He ignored it and focused on kissing Ayame. The thought was _this:_

_What is the world…without Uzumaki Naruto…?_

* * *

_PROLOGUE END!_


	2. Ten years later

man of the world.

* * *

MAN OF THE WORLD

* * *

CHAPTER ONE:

* * *

_Ten years later…_

* * *

Naruto stared at the flowing ravine. He was knee-deep _in_, and locked onto a certain something flip-flopping against the rock-bed of the ravine.

_NOW_—

Naruto lightning-quick reached down and snatched a live-fish right out of the stream. It was _huge_. Naruto used both hands to hold it. _That _huge. It flip-flopped in his tight grip. It stopped writhing. Naruto said, _R.I.P_. Naruto held it out and examined his catch of the day. He fox-grinned.

Naruto had grown. His hair was buzz-cut-short. It still spiked up in the weirdest places but it didn't bother him. He kept a clean shave—_the lady asks; the lady gets_. He hated shaving. _Buuuut_—he did it. He feared the wrath of The Woman. He _lol'd_ at his fear.

He tied the fish to his back and trekked all the way home.

He'd grown taller. He was his father's height by now. He was older than his father when he passed. He thought about his father often. _The Fourth Hokage_. He still hadn't reconciled. Not fully.

Naruto wore black shorts and an orange sleeveless. The _heat _permeated. He sweat. He worked _haaard_. He was a house-husband now. He hunted for a living. He had enough savings from his heritage that he could live a healthy lifestyle 'till _death_ did him in. He lived modestly. He was a minimalist. He never had a desire for _things_. Once upon a time, he had a desire to be acknowledged…

* * *

Naruto entered his home through the backyard. He slid the door open and entered. He made sure to kick his sandals off onto the patio. He set his backpack and the giant-fish to the side in the kitchen. He entered the main foyer.

He went, _I'm hooooooomeeee!_

Padded footsteps. Louder-than-_those_-footsteps.

"_PAPA!_"

A boy-o sky-rocket-style launched into Naruto. Naruto quarterback-style caught him. Naruto was still deft-_af_. The boy-o fox-grinned. Naruto ditto. He was a little, mini-Naruto.

Naruto said, "How's my boy? Huh, _Jiraiya?_"

Jiraiya said, "I missed you, Papa!"

Naruto scratched his nose. "Your Papa missed you too."

"Uh-huh, and what about Jiraiya's Mama? Did you miss her too?"

Naruto saw her for the umpteenth time and fell for her all over again. It was ritual. Every time he saw her he fell in love. Every time he kissed her it was their _first_.

Naruto jaw-dropped. "Ayame-_chan_."

Ayame was ten-years-older-_beautiful_. Ayame was fine-wine-style _beautiful_. With age, even more beauty. Simplicity and purity. She evinced both. She represented honesty. She gave Naruto everything. She was _his _rock-bed.

Ayame smiled and mocked Naruto. She scratched her nose ditto and winked at him. He grinned even wider.

Ayame walked to him and hugged him tight. She pulled back and knocked foreheads with him. Jiraiya climbed up his Mama's leg and got stuck in between them. They giggled and group-hugged. Naruto pulled away and scratched his nose for the _umpteenth _time.

Naruto patted Jiraiya on the head. "You wanna go take a look at the gigantic fish Papa brought back?"

Jiraiya nodded his head, _Yes_.

Naruto gesticulated towards the kitchen. Jiraiya thump-a-dumped all the way.

Naruto pulled Ayame closer. She bridged the gap herself. They kissed. Sparks flew this time. _Ten years ago…reminisce about how we began_.

Ayame pulled away and ticked his nose. He grinned.

They held hands.

Naruto felt a knock at the back of his mind. A thought lingered. The thought was always the same. _What is the world without Uzumaki Naruto…? _And 10-years-thereafter, the thought became: _Hey, world, it's been 10 years…are you okay without me…?_

Naruto quieted it. Ayame's love spoke _volumes_ louder. _She _quieted it. All this time. She always did. She was the destroyer of his doubts. She was his _soul_mate.

Naruto squeezed her hand. She understood. She winked at him. She led him away into the kitchen to watch their son.

* * *

_Konohagakure_

* * *

Shikamaru got the call first. A messenger-bird dropped it right on his head. He thought it was a deuce. He picked it up from the floor and shot the bird a middle finger. He didn't give-_af _that the damned creature didn't understand him.

Shikamaru unfurled the scroll and read. He promptly _furled _it, pocketed _it_, and full-sprint ran off towards Hokage Tower.

* * *

Konohagakure-no-sato. The Hidden Leaf Village. _Ahh_—how it's grown. Just like Naruto; _un_like Naruto. Konoha had become a true and proper _shinobi _village. Everything was draped in secrecy. The root operation Danzo started had overrun every other output of service that existed within the village.

Danzo had his pinky dipped in muddy waters. Danzo knew every dirty—big or little—secret. Danzo was the village's Sixth Hokage. He had been for ten years running. No contest. No election. He had Tsunade _iced _on the hush-hush. He ran a democratic-front with a dictatorship-backside. He funnelled village-funds into illicit ops. He funded casket-charities—_as in,_ the charity's a front for his own businesses.

Danzo was just as illicit as the businesses he invested in. He was a man draped in mystery. He was an enigma wrapped up in a conundrum. Everybody who knew what's what knew that Danzo was a dipso. They just didn't know which way he was conniving.

All Hidden Villages were on the brink of all-out-war. Danzo was all for it. He was like, _Come-and-get-it_. The shinobi's followed suit. The one's who knew what was what and dipso-Danzo, knew that he was calling for world-scale decimation. He had ultra-secret plans to rebuild the shinobi world with his own mould and clay. He had über-_un_-secret desires to play God.

But nobody trumps Kami in this world.

Uzumaki Naruto left ten years ago. He gave up on the shinobi world, but the shinobi world hasn't given up on him.

* * *

Shika burst into the R&I HQ. Ino & Sakura snapped to. Choji munch-munch-munched on a pack of jerky. The entire Konoha 11 situated in here. They took over R&I when Danzo dismantled it and replaced it with his own Intelligence Division.

Sakura said, "_What?_"

Shika chucked her the scroll.

Sakura unfurled it. "_WHAT?!_"

Shika paced.

Ino said, "What is it? What does the scroll say?"

Shika paced.

Sakura pinched her brows.

Ino snatched the scroll. She read it. She dropped the scroll. She got up, pinched her brows, and began pacing faster than Shika.

Shika snatched his jerky and chucked it across the room. "Now isn't the time for this Choji."

Choji stopped his munching and came to. "_Wth's _going on guys?"

Sakura bit her lip. "That scroll is a letter…"

Choji said, "From who?"

Shika said, "From _The Fourth Hokage._"

* * *

_The Land of Fire & The Land of Wind Border_

* * *

_Genchi's Tea Palace_

* * *

Danzo went, _Sit_.

The Fire Daimyo & Kazekage sat.

The Fire Daimyo was younger. He was his father's son. He had taken over just a year and a half ago when his ailing father died of an unknown disease. Little did he know…

Danzo evel-knievel-smiled.

The Kazekage…_Gaara_. He had grown. His hair was long and unkempt. It waved and curled across his forehead. His _Love_-mark was still faintly visible. Danzo was still the old-_fuck_ he always was.

Gaara said, "The Daimyo of The Land of Wind couldn't make it, sadly."

The young Fire Daimyo said, "That's preposterous. This is a slap on our fa—"

Danzo said, "That's quite alright."

The Fire Daimyo _stfu_.

Gaara said, "You had an offer, Hokage-sama."

Danzo said, "_Hai_—Kazekage-sama."

Gaara went, _I'm listening_.

Danzo cleared his throat. "I propose an allegiance between Konohagakure and Sunagakure. I understand that we've had our differences in the past few years, but I see no reason why our villages cannot rejoin forces."

Gaara said, "Out of the question. I reject your proposition."

Danzo evel-knievel-smiled. "I would reconsider, Kazekage-sama."

Gaara q-eyed him.

Danzo said, "The shinobi world is on the brink of an all-out-world-war. Konohagakure has strengthened ten-fold since I came into power. But I'm afraid…the same cannot be said for Sunagakure, can it?"

Gaara grit his teeth.

Danzo said, "_Yes_…you see, when the world does war, _we _will be ready. _We _will be strong. But where will you be, Kazekage-sama? Are you prepared to watch your village burn?"

Gaara spat on his side. "We broke our allegiance for a reason, Hokage-sama. Uzumaki Naruto was the glue that held us together. It's been 10 years since. Whatever the risks, I'll bear them, but Sunagakure won't hold hands with someone as dirty as you."

Danzo said, "_Oh? _I'd be careful, Kazekage-sama. With the world preparing for war, you wouldn't want to turn your back on the only hand reaching out for you."

Gaara stood up. "Considering the world is going to go to war anyways…_fuck you, _Danzo."

Gaara exited.

The Fire Daimyo waited…_then—_"Yeah? Well, fuck you too!"

Danzo roared.

"Good boy, Kanai," he sarcasted.

Danzo watched Gaara's back as he left the tea-shop. He rolled his eyes and waved two fingers. Two Anbu members blitzed to his side. He went, _Go!_ They blitzed out. They got their orders—_Follow the Kazekage_. Danzo kept tabs on everything and everyone.

Danzo sipped his tea and connived.

* * *

Naruto chased Jiraiya madly. Naruto & Jiraiya played hide and seek, sage-mode-style. Naruto always won; Jiraiya never knew how—his papa always had_ eye-shadow_ on for some reason. Naruto roared.

Ayame watched. She sat on the patio. Sun was downing. Their family was whole. Life was _sweet_. And then came—

_Knock-knock-knock!_

Ayame startled.

_Knock-knock-knock!_

Naruto went eyes-sharp. He _blitzed _to Jiraiya and picked him up swiftly. He tossed him to his mother and hid them both in their bedroom.

_Knock-knock-knock!_

Naruto swiped a kunai from inside a ceiling-tile. He swerved beneath low-roofed-ceilings and archways—he designed his home to trip-up any and all intruders.

_Knock-knock—_

Naruto felt the chakra signature through leftover sage-mode-chakra-sensory-XP. He sleeved the kunai and slid the door open. Naruto eye-rolled. He went, _You—what do you want?_

Shikamaru said, "I know this is troublesome. But can I come in?"


	3. Death-Mail

man of the world.

* * *

MAN OF THE WORLD

* * *

CHAPTER TWO:

* * *

_Death-Mail_

* * *

"Shikamaru-kun, would you like some tea?" Ayame asked.

Shika said, "Thank you kindly, Ayame-chan."

Jiraiya said, "Who are you?"

Shika chuckled. He pinched little Jiraiya's cheeks and said, "I'm your uncle."

Jiraiya went wide-eyed. "You're papa's _brother?!_"

Ayame tee-hee'd.

Shika roared. "One among many."

Jiraiya swallowed that info. He snapped to Naruto. "Papa—how many brothers and sisters do _you_ have?"

_Ayame _roared.  
Naruto caressed little Jiraiya's cheeks—no whiskers, no scars, just innocent.

Jiraiya waited for Naruto to answer his question. He never did.

Naruto motioned Ayame.

She understood his gesticulation—_The big-boys gotta talk_…

Ayame said, "C'mon Jiraiya-_chan_. Let's go prepare uncle's tea."

Jiraiya made a face. He went hush-hush, one-hand-cupping-his-mouth—"_Mooooom_…don't call me _that_."

Shika chuckled.

Jiraiya grabbed his mother's kimono-lapels and trailed.

Naruto waited until Ayame left the room.

He snapped to Shikamaru.

"_What?_"

Shika felt Naruto's _intent _hit him a thousand waves _steeeeee-rooong_. "Jeez, Naruto. Tone it down a bit. Your kid's in the next roo—"

Naruto said, "Don't worry about my boy. He'll be just fine. He ain't a chakra-friendly."

Shika q-eyed Naruto about that. _You're telling me that the child of Uzumaki Naruto doesn't have an ounce of chakra in his being? B.U.L.L.S.H.I.T._

It was like Naruto read his mind.

He said, "I don't really care what you believe right, Shika, just tell me what you want?"

Shika unfastened the top latch of his flak-jacket. He breathed out Naruto's _intent_. He composed himself under _his _pressure.

Shika ass-pulled a scroll and whipped it at Naruto.

Naruto caught it no problem. He didn't even break eye-contact.

Shika gulped.

Naruto said, "What is this?"

Shika said, "Read it. You'll find out."

Naruto eye-rolled. He unfurled the scroll. He read the first line…he dropped the scroll out of sheer shock.

He blitzed to Shika _this _quick. "_Wtf _is this? Are you playing with me?"

Shika shook his head. He hovered a hand above his kunai-holster. "Naruto…_sit. Down_."

Naruto blitzed back to his chair. He re-picked up the scroll. He unfurled it further. He read it. He fingertip-brushed his hair. He glared at the scroll. He felt _rut!_ He was _cheeezzzeed_.

"Shika—is this _real?_"

Shika clenched fists. "_I.D.K._"

Naruto q-eyed Shika. "What do you mean?"

Shika said, "It dropped on my head out of thin-air. It came from _nowhere_. Trust me, _we're_ all a lot more concerned than you are about all this. The world could've been a better place, Naruto—"

Naruto gave Shika the finger. "Fuck you, Shika. You think this doesn't affect me? What are you trying to say, that I _walked _out on you guys?"

Shika said, "Why else would I be here? Once again. For the umpteenth time. Or _Idk _how many times it's been."

Naruto softened. His _intent _ditto. He said, "Shika…you know why I left."

Shika said, "I do. But I can't get the image of The Boy With a Nindo out of my heart."

Naruto shifty-eyed other things. "Shika…"

Shika said, "Naruto, you once told me that I was a good friend to you. Did you mean that?"

Naruto said, "No doubt."

Shika said, "Then help us. You _know _what state this world is in. Your pops _knew _too, and I don't think things turned out the way he hoped—"

Naruto paced out of his seat. He soft-knocked his head and _phew-phew'ed_ trying to figure _this _shit out.

Shika waited.

Naruto paced endlessly.

Shika waited.

Naruto sat-back-down said, "You know why I left though. I _can't_. If I get back into this…I'll lose myself this time. I-I gave you all—_everything!_"

Shika hand-on-shoulder straight-eyed Naruto. "_Nahh_, Naruto. Not yet. One last time. Properly, this time. And then you can come back to retirement or whatever else you please. But I _need _this from you."

Naruto face-in-his-hands said, "_Why me?_"

Shika said, "_Because_…you're the son of The Fourth Hokage. You're the saviour, like your dad before you…and your_ son_ after you—"

Naruto grabbed Shika's collar and _slaaaaammmeeed! _him to he floor. "_NO!_ Jiraiya won't suffer the same fate. Him and I…we don't share destinies. Get it?"

Shika nodded. "Got it, ya troublesome ass."

Naruto said, "Good."

Shika said, "So is this all…a _yes?_"

Naruto blinked.

Shika slipped out of Naruto's grip. He stood up and dusted nothings off his pant-legs. He looked at Naruto, bent over with open hands. He looked like he was praying. He looked sad.

Shika said, "I'll come back. Tomorrow. I'll hope that it's a _yes_."

Naruto. Didn't. Say. A. Single. Word.

Ayame walked in with tea.

Shika went, _No need for tea, Ayame-chan. Thank you for everything._

Ayame noted Naruto's composure. His bent-over-in-prostration pose. She got worried.

Shika helped Naruto up and bid goodbye to them all. Jiraiya gave him a _biiiiiig _hug before he left.

He left the scroll with Naruto.

* * *

Ayame noted Naruto's behaviour the rest of their day. He grew wearier as time died. He shot fake-smiles like he used to way-back-when. He didn't play with Jiraiya. He seemed lifeless. He looked energy-less. That was a _no-no_ for Naruto. He was _never _out of energy. He was a gigantic, mozza-ball of chakra.

* * *

Ayame put Jiraiya to bed. She waited 'till he finished counting the nations and the kages. He fell asleep somewhere between the _nations_ and the _kages_.

Ayame came to bed. Naruto blank-stared at the ceiling.

_SLAAAP!_

Naruto jolted up. He rubbed his cheek. He eye-balled Ayame. He went, _Ayame-chan…_

Ayame said, "That woke you up, didn't it?"

Naruto went, _Ayame-chan?_

Ayame said, "Ever since Shikamaru-kun left, you've been in this state of depression. _Wth _did he say to you?"

Naruto passed her the scroll.

She said, "What is it?"

Naruto said to her exactly what Shika said to him: "_Read it. You'll find out._"

Ayame read the first line—

"_Dear Naruto_…"

Ayame read _all_ of it…the scroll slipped through her fingertips. She stared blankly at nothing at all. Tear-fall proceeded.

The last thing she remembered was that she hadn't cried in ten years.


	4. this is what the scroll said

man of the world

* * *

MAN OF THE WORLD

* * *

CHAPTER THREE:

* * *

_This is what the scroll said…_

* * *

_Dear Naruto_,

* * *

_This is your dad speaking. My name is Minato Namikaze. And before I say anything more, I want you to know that your mother and I love you very much. We're sorry for all the pain you must have gone through up 'till now. I know it must not have been easy, but I have faith that you will have succeeded. _

_So without further ado…_

_I write this letter perhaps decades in advance. To congratulate you…on becoming Hokage._

_Congratulations, my son, from the both of us! We had complete faith in you. We knew from the moment you were conceived that you would do great things. We knew you would succeed in all your endeavours. Jiraiya-sensei once told me that I was the Chosen One. That I was the Saviour of The World. But I knew he was wrong. It was just this weird feeling inside me. Just like how when you were conceived I knew that you were the one he spoke of…_

_I'm sure you'll have your quarrels with me—and you rightfully should—but I'll rest my weary soul knowing you succeeded with blood, tears, and sheer hard work. If you're anything like your old man, well, at least the Yellow Flash can be told as a legend, lived twice._

_Your mother is eager to have you. She doesn't know the things I do. _

_I know everything, Naruto. And I am sorry… _

_I know about The Akatsuki._

_I know about Orochimaru, Danzo, The Root Ops, and The Uchiha Massacre. _

_I know about Itachi. I know about his little brother Sasuke. _

_I know about The Jyuubi…_

_I know everything and whatever that portends. I see the future ahead of Konohagakure. And I know that there is only one saviour—and that's YOU!_

_And I'm sure you will have done it…_

_Dismantled the entire Akatsuki, defeated the Uchiha Curse, saved our village—and the whole world—and extinguished the anguish of being a Jinchūriki. _

_I know that you must've gone through so much. I know you will have lost loved ones. I know you will feel heartbreak. I know you will want all the things a young boy desires so badly. But it can only go down this one way. _

_I'm sorry about how much you'll probably lose in this life. I wonder if the next life will offer us both a chance to be together—all three of us?_

_I know this probably might not make a whole lot of sense, but I'm always watching over you, Naruto. Beckon the moon, and I'll be there in a flash…_

_I'm sorry for stealing your childhood, Naruto. It's not fair that you won't get to have a proper one. But such is the burden of a leader. Such is the burden, future-Hokage, of mine._

_I've made all the arrangements. You will have all the help you'll need. I've confided in Jiraiya-sensei. I hope he imparts all the good parts of his teachings, and not his more perverse nature, hahaha._

_I just have one request, Naruto…please try not to think too badly of me. It would break my heart to know that my son hated me. I'll face your wrath in the afterlife, but please don't hate me. And your mother either. She knows nothing of this. It is our burden to bear._

_We are Hokage for that very reason._

_A wise, young, boy once told me that one is not acknowledged after he becomes Hokage…the one that is acknowledged is the one who becomes Hokage…_

_I love you, Naruto_

_So toast to that, and farewell to you, my son. I hope you live a long and healthy life. I will see you in the afterlife. There, we'll sip sake and talk about the good times. There, I'll tell you about my life, and you can tell me all about yours. But I can already say the one thing we'll both have to say to each other that day…that we lived…_

_With no regrets…_

* * *

_Love & Endurance—the only way to live,_

* * *

_Minato Namikaze_

* * *

_ P.S. — this scroll doubles as a key to your home and a safe-house; all my research is in that safe-house. There is a threat we know not. Take over my work. Save the world as many last times as you have to. It's our burden to bear and nobody else's. We're men of, and for, this world…_

_ I've left you everything your mother and I owned. _

_ We love you, Naruto._


End file.
